ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — to come from
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. net — in sport
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. key — in music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. season — of the year
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — for a lock
  15. tear — from crying
  16. season — in sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. net — for catching
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. plane — a tool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. net — after costs
  24. tear — from crying

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com